Materials: One skein of worsted weight cotton such as Sugar and Cream or Peaches & Crème if you are using the bib for meals. If, on the other hand, you want to use it as a “drool” bib, I would recommend using a superwash wool. The cotton has a tendancy to absorb the moisture, whereas the superwash wool will wick the moisture and keep baby nice and dry!
Needles: Size 6
Gauge: 4.5 sts. per inch, not critical
Note: The edges of the bib are worked in seed stitch over the first and last five stitches (k1, p1, k1, p1, k1) and are referred to as “B5”. You might find it helpful to insert a marker after the first five stitches and before the last five stitches.
When you reach the I-cords on the bib, it is helpful, but not necessary, to drop down a needle size to make the cords slightly smaller.
Abbreviations:
k = knit
p = purl
sts. = stitches
dec. = decrease
dpn. = double pointed needle
B5 = seed stitch border
Cast on 12 sts.
Row 1: k1, p1, across row.
Row 2: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1 across row. (15 sts.)
Row 3: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1 across row (18 sts.)
Row 4: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1, across row (21 sts.)
Row 5: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1, across row (24 sts.)
Row 6: Cast on 3 sts., k1, p1, across row (27 sts.)
Row 7: Cast on 3 sts., p1, k1, across row (30 sts.)
Row 8: Cast on 2 sts., k1, p1, across row (32 sts.)
Row 9: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1, across row (34 sts.)
Row 10: Cast on 2 sts., k1, p1, across row (36 sts.)
Row 11: Cast on 2 sts., p1, k1, across row (38 sts.)
Row 12: k1, p1, for 13 sts.; p 12 sts.; p1, k1, for 13 sts.
Row 13: p1, k1, for 12 sts.; k 14 sts.; p1, k1 for 12 sts.
Row 14: k1, p1, for 11 sts.; p 16 sts.; p1, k1, for 11 sts.
Row 15: p1, k1, for 10 sts.; k 18 sts.; p1, k1 for 10 sts.
Row 16: k1, p1, for 9 sts.; p11; k6; p3; p1, k1, for 9 sts.
Row 17: p1, k1, for 8 sts.; k3; p7; k12; p1, k1, for 8 sts.
Row 18: k1, p1, for 7 sts.; p14; k7; p3; p1, k1, for 7 sts.
Row 19: p1, k1, for 6 sts.; k3; p6; k17; p1, k1, for 6 sts.
Row 20: k1, p1, for 5 sts.; p22; k3; p3; p1, k1, for 5 sts.
(Note: From this point on, the first and last five stitches are the seed stitch border. (B5) It might be helpful to place a marker for these stitches.)
Row 21: B5; k3; p3; k22; B5.
Row 22: B5; p22; k3; p3; B5.
Row 23: B5; k3; p3; k1; p4; k2; p4; k11; B5.
Row 24: B5; p11; k4; p2; k4; p1; k3; p3; B5.
Row 25: B5; k3; p3; k1; p4; k2; p4; k11; B5.
Row 26: B5; p5; k5; p2; k3; p3; k3; p1; k3; p3; B5.
Row 27: B5; k3; p3; k1; p3; k3; p3; k2; p5; k5; B5.
Row 28: B5; p5; k5; p2; k3; p3; k7; p3; B5.
Row 29: B5; k3; p8; k2; p3; k1; p4; k7; B5.
Row 30: B5; p8; k3; p1; k13; p3; B5.
Row 31: B5; k3; p17; k8; B5.
Row 32: B5; p9; k16; p3; B5.
Row 33: B5; k4; p15; k9; B5.
Row 34: B5; p10; k14; p4; B5.
Row 35: B5; k5; p13; k10; B5.
Row 36: B5; p10; k13; p5; B5.
Row 37: B5; k6; p12; k10; B5.
Row 38: B5; p10; k11; p7; B5.
Row 39: B5; k7; p11; k10; B5.
Row 40: B5; p10; k10; p8; B5.
Row 41: B5; k9; p9; k10; B5.
Row 42: B5; p10; k8; p10; B5.
Row 43: B5; k11; p7; k10; B5.
Row 44: B5; p10; k6; p12; B5.
Row 45: B5; k12; p6; k3; p3; k4; B5.
Row 46: B5; p3; k5; p2; k5; p13; B5.
Row 47: B5; k13; p12; k3; B5.
Row 48: B5; p3; k12; p13; B5.
Row 49: B5; k14; p11; k3; B5.
Row 50: B5; p4, k3, p1; k6; p14; B5.
Row 51: B5; k15; p8, k5; B5.
Row 52: B5; p6; k6; p16; B5.
Row 53: B5; k17; p3; k8; B5.
Row 54: B5; p28; B5.
Row 55: B5; k28; B5.
Row 56: B5; p28; B5.
Row 57: B5; k28; B5.
Row 58: B5; p28; B5.
Row 59: (right side) B5; k 8; k1, p1 for 12 sts.; k8; B5.
Row 60: B5; p 7 sts.; k1, p1 for 14 sts.; p7 sts.; B5.
Row 61: k1, p1, for 6 sts.; k 5 sts.; k1, p1 for 16 sts.; k 5 sts; p1, k1, for 6 sts.
Row 62: k1, p1, for 7 sts.; p 3 sts.; k1, p1, for 18 sts.; p 3 sts.; p1, k1, for 7 sts.
Row 63: p1, k1, for 8 sts.; k1; k1, p1, for 20 sts.; k1, p1, k1 for 8 sts.
Row 64: k1, p1 across row.
Shoulder shaping:
Row 65: p1, k1, for 13 sts.; bind off next 12 sts. knitwise; work remaining 12 sts. in seed stitch as established. You should have 13 sts. on each side. Place first 13 stitches on a holder and work on remaining 13 sts. as follows:
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge every other row 2 times. (11 sts.)
Work one row even.
Dec. 1 st. at shoulder edge every other row until 5 sts. remain.
Work one row even.
(Right side) Dec. 1 st. at neck edge and 1 st. at shoulder edge. 3 sts.
Work one row even.
Slip these 3 sts. to a dpn and work an I-cord for approximately 12 inches. Fasten off and run end down through middle of I-cord.
Join yarn to neck edge and work remaining side to correspond to other side. If you are careful and join the yarn invisibly, then the bib can be reversible!
Copyright 2008 by Elaine Fitzpatrick. Permission is granted to reproduce this pattern in any medium, as long as it is distributed for free and this copyright notice remains intact. Permission is also granted to produce items from this pattern for sale.
Note: This pattern has been updated and now includes a chart. The pdf file is in the sidebar.
